This invention relates generally to a web page disabling feature and more particularly to disabling the ability of a user to print alpha-numeric characters being displayed on a web page.
With the advent of the Internet the selling of goods and services via the internet has become a booming business. The Internet is fundamentally changing the way merchants and suppliers conduct business with the customer. In the past information may have been communicated orally to the customer. Now information is indirectly communicated to the customer in an electronic and sometimes in a written format, information that historically may have been preferably communicated in oral form. Sensitive information may at times be provided on the Internet such as the price of goods and services, the availability of goods and services, key features of goods, etc. While it is desirable to communicate sensitive information on a web based display, is may not be desirable to enable the user to print all of the contents of a web page including the sensitive information. As such, there exists a need to provide a simple web based feature that inhibits the user from printing sensitive information being displayed on the web page.
One example graphics export feature is the GIF89 export feature which enables the user of the feature to specify what color, to eliminate from the graphic image. For example the graphic image may be the letter xe2x80x9c2xe2x80x9d illustrated by the color white having a black background. The GIF89 export feature allows the user to erase the black background leaving a white character on a transparent background.
The present invention provides a method of displaying at least one alpha-numeric character of a web page, that will not print on a printer. The process consists of generating at least one transparent graphic image, wherein each graphic image is a non-printing alpha-numeric character on a non-printing background, next getting a respective transparent graphic image for each alpha-numeric character when the no print feature is desired, and generating a web page comprising each of the transparent graphic images, wherein the web page has a contrasting background relative to the color of the respective alpha-numeric character. The web page can thus be printed without showing the transparent graphic image on the printed page.